The Highwayman Read Online Free Page B

miss, and I mean to know what it is.” He moved away.
    “What are you going to do with me?”
    He ignored her as he said something in a low tone to Rory. The leader turned his back, and Rory headed toward her. With her hands still bound behind her there was little she could do to resist, but she struggled futilely.
    “Don’t you touch me!” she gasped.
    Dodging her kicks, Rory scooped her up, strode into a nearby tent, and deposited her on a bundle of skins. A single candle burned on an upturned crate inside, giving feeble illumination to her primitive surroundings.
    “Wait!” Alex yelled as Rory walked away, but he gave no indication that he’d heard her.
    Time passed, and nothing happened. The rope was cutting into Alex’s wrists, her legs were cramped, and fear of the unknown overcame her. She was trying hard not to cry when Burke suddenly appeared, unbuckling his belt and pulling his tunic over his head. Alex looked on in horror as she realized that this was his tent and he was about to undress for the night.
    He glanced over at her and read her expression.
    “Never fear, my lady,” he said. “When I take a fancy to twelve-year-old boys you’ll be in danger, not before. All you are to me is a chess piece to trade.”
    “For what?” she whispered, finally finding her voice.
    He didn’t answer. Alex watched as he stripped to his leggings. The long ropy muscles in his arms stood out beneath his skin as he reached overhead to drop the tent flap.
    “Are you just going to leave me here like this?” Alex demanded.
    “Oh, and what would Her Ladyship like?” Burke asked.
    The light brown hair on his chest fanned out to cover his flat nipples and then narrowed to a line that disappeared below the waistband of his leggings. The trousers were tight enough to reveal the lean, powerful muscles of his legs. Alex swallowed uneasily and looked away.
    “I’d like a bath,” she said.
    “Would you now?” He put his huge hands, twice the size of hers, on his narrow hips and surveyed her with detachment. He seemed bemused.
    “Yes, I would. That ruffian who kidnapped me tossed me about on the ground, and I’ve got dirt in my hair and under my nails and my clothes are filthy.”
    “Ah, shall we call one of the maids to wait upon you, then?” Burke said.
    Alex gave him a black look. “All I need is some hot water and soap, and well you know it.”
    “That will have to do, since we’re sorely lacking in servants here,” Burke replied. He left the tent and returned some minutes later with a length of rough linen and a gray shapeless lump, both of which he dumped in her lap.
    “What’s that?” Alex said, looking down at the greasy ball with distaste.
    “Lye and tallow soap,” Burke replied. “We don’t have fine-milled beauty soap here. Rory will be in with a tub and hot water in a bit.” He turned away.
    “Aren’t you going to untie my hands?”
    He returned to her and slashed through her bonds with his knife. Then he held the blade under her nose.
    “No tricks, my lady fair, or you’ll be making a closer acquaintance with this, I’m thinking.”
    Alex closed her eyes to block the sight of it, and by the time she opened them again, he was gone.
    Rory entered shortly thereafter with a wooden tub and a pail of hot water. He carried in two more buckets of cold water to make a tepid mixture. “Don’t be long. The tub is needed.” He handed her a clean linen shift, his face expressionless. It was clear that he disapproved of providing this comfort for their captive, but Burke was giving the orders.
    Alex waited until he was gone and then stripped off Luke’s clothes, which were by now almost in tatters. She sank gratefully into the soothing water, which was just deep enough to cover her thighs. The homemade soap did not provide much lather, but it cleansed well and had a clean, piny fragrance. She lost herself in the pure pleasure of bathing, momentarily forgetting her circumstances.
    * * * *
    Burke